When West Hartlepool Technical College was inspected in February 1948, the report stated that crisis point had been reached regarding accomodation. A site had been earmarked for a new school, in the Max Lock Plan, but this would not be built for some time. (Brierton Hill Technical High School actually opened in 1961)
Despite the construction of various temporary buildings on the Lauder Street Technical School site, it was obvious more room was needed. Tunstall Court, which had been built by Christopher Furness, had been virtually empty for over 40 years, and was a subject of compulsory purchase by West Hartlepool Council in 1951.
Finally after much wrangling over planning and finance, the work of conversion began in 1954 at a cost of £26,800 and 200 girls were transferred to Tunstall Court in that year enabling the Lauder Street Tech room for three streams of boys.
When Brierton Hill Girls' Technical High School opened in 1961, Tunstall Court remained for some years a commerce department.
(notes from opening ceremony brochure 26.11.1954 Hartlepool Museum Services)
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Assembly Hall Tunstall Court
